Saturday, March 10, 2012

The magical spells that animated cartoon characters cast, are eternal and never cease to leave the audience spellbound. From tiny tots to their beloved grandparents, none can deny that these animated cartoons have those splendid, special secrets about them that make them leave an everlasting impression on the minds of the spectators.

So what is it about them that are so stunning? Is it the magnificence of the technology combined with art that astonishes the audience? Or is it their ability to transform us into an entirely different world that captivates the minds of million? Whatever it is, the few hours of immense entertainment that they bring into our lives is unmatched and leaves us only asking for more.

The world has watched the performances of many such fun-filled movies yet there are a select few which have become legends in the world of animated pictures. So what are the top 5 all time favorite animated cartoons? And what makes them more special than the others?

1) The Lion King:

The life of Simba is beautifully portrayed in the movie starting from its childhood and the years that followed leading to a mature king who efficiently saves the land of pride from wrong hands and rules over it successfully. The assortments of emotions displayed by the Lion and all the other characters are enthralling!!!

2) Finding Nemo

No body needs to be reminded of this movie which was the only one to top the Lion King at the box office. The adventurous pursuit of Marlin in finding Nemo in conjunction with Dory is considered one of the most enjoyable escapades ever in the history of animated cartoons.

3) Ratatouille

An impossible dream of a rat aspiring to become a chef was an entirely novel concept that was greeted well by the audience. Remy’s role as a secret chef in a French restaurant is an excellent recipe for laughter. The culinary world of Paris becoming topsy-turvy because of a rat race is perfectly depicted in the film.

4) Shrek

An attempt to regain his swamp from a King, leads the green ogre, Shrek in a path of love that he has never tread before. The movie takes us into a fun filled journey, led by Shrek his pal donkey and his new found love Princess Fiona. The tag line that quotes ‘The greatest fairy tale never told’ is just a fitting description to the movie.

5) Ice Age

When the whole animal kingdom was frightened by the upcoming Ice Age, four animals Sid (sloth), Diego (tiger) Scrat (Squirrel) and Manny (mammoth) are united in a mission of returning a human infant to his father. The obstacles faced by this unusual group of heroes simply during their mission left the audience simply astound.

Though each and every animated cartoon is unique in its own way, they are all united by one universal theme of love. They convey to us the message that life in any form deserves respect.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Computer 3D animation refers to the work of creating moving pictures in a digital environment that is three-dimensional due to careful sequencing of consecutive images, that are technically referred to also as "frames" so as to ensure that it is possible to simulate motion. This simulation of motion is done when each image continues in a very gradual manner to show the next image, step by step.

What happens in animation is that motion is simulated in a way that the eyes tend to believe that actual motion has taken place while the fact is the perceived sense of motion is only because of the consecutive images that are passed through very fast.

The traditional aspect of computer animation as an art form is well established in the application of 2D animation - two-dimensional animation is the more traditional face of the art form. In 2D animation, whatever drawings are done or created on paper are utilized and so are celluloid transparencies. In this form, it is also termed as cell animation and hand-drawn animation.

Let's get back to our main area of interest namely 3D animation which emerged as a new kind of art form that depends more on computers to bring forth characters or objects using a construct environment that is three dimensional in nature. So instead of any kind of hand drawings, the characters are all created within the computer not anywhere else because the character is subject to further modifications or manipulations in the online environment using highly advanced computer tools.

So if your ambition is to create your own remarkably unique 3D characters and animations, you should then procure a very good quality 3D animation software and we assume that you already have a good computer. Be aware of the fact that most studios currently make use of proprietary computer 3d animation software but for a beginner like yourself, you can check out a whole variety of software options in computer 3d animation.

Keep in mind that a lot of these off-the-shelf computer animation packages are helpful but they differ in the levels of complexity and features that come along with them. So it would be advisable to learn computer 3d animation as well as the basic principles of 2D before you actually go out and get yourself any package.

Animation packages are plenty but some brands like Maya remain immortal because of its high-end 3D computer graphics as well as its highly powerful 3D modeling software package. This is so popular with the film as well as the entertainment industry so it's a good choice. Take note that Maya has two versions, namely Maya Complete as well as Maya Unlimited. The former is less powerful and the latter is considered highly powerful and expensive. So it would be best to choose only according to your requirements as an animator.

Monday, March 5, 2012

There is a high demand for creative 3D animators. They are needed in the video industry, advertisement, gaming and even website industries. With 3D animation, the animator uses traditional and new animation methods to produce real life computer generated animated imagery to visually interpret and convey information or messages.

The 3D animator has to keep up to date with constantly emerging new techniques, tools, software, methodology, production techniques and a lot more. Many people with interest in the field would wonder want it takes to be a 3D animator. 3D animation comprises of various aspects so the demand and requirement might be a bit varied.

While a lot of the skills of a 3D animator are learned it is important that the animator already has some qualities. The needed characteristics include being creative both artistically and technically. What this requires is more than an understanding and mastery of the technical aspects of computer animation and illustration but also a high ability to be creative artistically. It is also important to be innovative and intelligent. A good animator would be one who not only loves new technologies but learns to use them well and effectively.

Apart from the personal qualities also referred to as soft skills, as they can not be measured, one may also need some form of formal education to become a 3D animator able to command a decent income. Some institutions offer relative short courses on 3D animation. It would be helpful to have a bachelor’s degree in any art related discipline especially if it has some courses on art history, English, social science, natural science, studio art with some emphasis on animation.

Next it is important to train and practice a lot. Your choice of education must involve a lot of studio work where you can train and practice. You should take the time to learn how to use latest technology that keeps updating almost everyday. Some programs that are necessary to master include Flash, Adobe Photoshop, 3D Studio Max, Adobe Illustrator, CAD, Adobe After Effects, Light wave, Rhino, Swish and many more. Ability to use these programs increases your value and proficiency.

As you begin on the road to becoming a creative and talented 3D animator it is also advised to build a portfolio of your work. The portfolio would serve as credible evidence of your abilities and skills as a 3D animator in your chosen industry. A lot of the programs being used make 3D animation a lot easier and productive. You would however still need to put in a fair amount of hard word and dedication to become a proficient 3D animator.